Christmas message from JCC President, Neil Edwards

18 December 2018

Fellow Old Citizens,

It gives me great pleasure and honour to become your new president for the forthcoming John Carpenter Club year.

I take over from John Gee Grant with relative ease given the amount of time and wise Counsel he has devoted to the JCC. John’s year as President has been particularly relevant as it came alongside Alan Bird’s arrival as the new Head Master and a fresh relationship with the School commences. At our recent AGM and JCC dinner at the School, I was delighted to welcome Alan to our John Carpenter Club community.

I am very confident that working with Alan on behalf of the JCC we will continue to offer school leavers through to those with long memories of the school, the ability to engage with peer groups, take part in sporting and social activities and offer mentoring and business opportunities to fellow Old Citizens.

We are starting 2019 with the formation of a new steering group made up of myself, John Gee Grant, the Head and the new Director of Development and Alumni Relations Kathrin Ostermann. The Steering Group will report to and work closely with the JCC committee and I firmly believe it will develop a clearer pathway for Old Citizens to stay in touch, take part in sporting and other alumni activities and, most importantly, stay attached to the school they attended.

As someone from a strong sporting background, Grove Park holds special memories for me and to that end, I hope to arrange with the school an event during the year when Old Citizens can return to Grove Park to watch the school play a match and tread the turf we all made so very famous.

The John Carpenter Club is in good health we have much to look forward to in 2019. I wish you all a very happy festive season and peaceful holiday period.